About Cal Skinner

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A press release from State Rep. David McSweeney: House Approves Rep. McSweeney’s Measure to Eliminate Mailing Requirement for Constitutional Amendments Eliminating mail requirement would save $1.3 million each time a Constitutional Amendment is placed on the ballot Springfield, IL – … Continue reading →

As I was reflecting on the end run that newly-sworn in McHenry County Board Chairman Jack Franks is trying to pull on the taxpayers of McHenry County, it occurred to me that there may be a road block in the … Continue reading →

A new Political Action Committee called McHenry County GOPAC surfaced today with a mailing to County Board District 6 voters. Financed with $20,800 from Mr. and Mrs. Vince Foglia, the officers are Joe Tirio, the Republican candidate for Recorder of … Continue reading →

Wonder Lake’s Kelly Liebmann wrote this letter to the Daily Herald. It is printed with permission of the author. The proposed Amendment to the Illinois Constitution will be on the top of everyone’s ballot. ‘Lockbox’ amendment won’t solve problems This … Continue reading →

In an article about Jack Franks deciding to run for McHenry County Board Chairman Reboot’s Madeleine Doubek wrote, He talked about the political games of passing bills only to see them die in the other chamber or somewhere down the … Continue reading →

An organization called “Independent Map Amendment” has raised its head. This is the third time a group has tried to pass a Constitutional Amendment to change the reapportionment process. The last time this was tried, the organizers were not politically … Continue reading →

There are all sorts of referendums on the ballot. Here is the Illinois Family Institute’s view on them: Ballot Questions: Constitutional Amendments & Referenda on Nov. 4th Ballot from Illinois Family Institute Two proposed changes to the Illinois Constitution will … Continue reading →

Circulators of the petition to change the way the Illinois General Assembly is apportioned are complaining that they are not getting a fair deal from the Illinois State Board of Elections. The Chicago Tribune editorial yesterday points to radically desperate … Continue reading →

Passed out the Senate Executive Committee subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments on a 2-1 vote last Thursday was SJRCA40. (That stands for Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 40. You can find the details here.) Here is the synopsis of the legislation: … Continue reading →

State Rep. Jack Franks has told folks that he will vote to put the so-called millionaire’s tax Constitutional Amendment dreamed up by House Speaker Mike Madigan on the balloty. Seventy-one votes are needed to pass the Illinois House and there … Continue reading →

Republican opponent Steve Reick has been arguing that Franks can vote anyway he wants…unless House Speaker Mike Madigan wants Franks’ vote. That happens every time the Illinois House is organized. Franks has voted for Madigan to remain House Speaker every … Continue reading →

A press release from State Rep. Mike Tryon: Rep. Tryon Urges an End to Lame Duck Sessions SPRINGFIELD….. State Representative Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) joined House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and other members of his caucus on Tuesday to unveil … Continue reading →

State Rep. David McSweeney is on a roll. Yesterday he passed a bill stimulated by McHenry County College’s potential of borrowing over $40 million to almost double the size of the campus, plus build a health and fitness club that … Continue reading →

A press release from State Rep. David McSweeney: McSweeney Moves to Abolish Lt. Governor Position Approved by Committee Springfield – Illinois voters will hopefully have the opportunity to decide whether the state should have a Lieutenant Governor. State Representative David … Continue reading →

There’s a remarkable sentence in BGA Executive Director Andy Shaw’s column in the Chicago Sun-Times: “And yet this week, in a ‘lame duck’ session that included 35 exiting lawmakers who theoretically could have cast one final ‘though’ vote without fear … Continue reading →

There are red and white “Vote No on the County Executive Referendum” signs appearing through McHenry County, but yesterday I noticed one that is red and yellow with a big “Vote No” message on it. The amendment has been scathingly … Continue reading →

Thursday in the Chicago Tribune, Illinois Democratic Party Chairman and House Speaker for life called for a constitutional amendment which would require a 3/5 vote to hike public employee pensions. With the drum beat that National Taxpayers United of Illinois’ … Continue reading →